


So fall, I'll be behind you

by frostysunflowers



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Battle of New York (Marvel), Presumed Dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25945828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frostysunflowers/pseuds/frostysunflowers
Summary: Tony’s dead.He has to be for something like this to be happening, and what is happening is James Rhodes, Rhodey, his best friend, his honeybear, the man he has been in love with since he was a dumb kid with even dumber ideas, is kissing him.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Tony Stark
Comments: 35
Kudos: 214





	So fall, I'll be behind you

**Author's Note:**

> So apparently, it's rhodeytony day? I could be wrong but in any case, one needs no excuse to write about these guys, so have a short and sweet fic featuring my two faves <3

Tony’s dead. 

He has to be for something like this to be happening, and what is happening is James Rhodes, Rhodey, his best friend, his honeybear, the man he has been in love with since he was a dumb kid with even dumber ideas, is kissing him.

Hard and solid, right on the lips, with one hand braced against his chest and another holding the side of his head.

It’s like one of his many fantasies come true.

Except in those, he isn’t watching it happen through the barely open slits of his eyes, and there isn’t a rushing need for air roaring in his lungs or horrifying flickers of cold darkness and abhorrent threats looming far too close for comfort. There isn’t the blurry outline of other familiar faces watching them, or at least not usually, and there is definitely never a single trace of tears or sorrow.

But there are tears in Rhodey’s eyes now as he pulls back with a gasp, staring down at Tony with such broken devastation that it feels like a knife has been plunged straight through Tony’s gut for how much it hurts to see. The hand on his head leaves and settles beside the other on his chest, pushing and pulling uselessly at the battered suit, metal fingers clanging loudly in the overbearing quiet surrounding them.

''Rhodes," someone, maybe Nat, says softly, far too knowingly. "He’s - "

"He’s not," Rhodey snaps harshly, pulling and pushing harder now. "He’s not. Tony, you _asshole_ , wake up!"

Tony’s always got a kick out of winding Rhodey up, doing the exact opposite of what he says just to see that exasperated smirk cross that beautiful face, but there’s no trace of that smirk now and Tony so desperately wants to do what Rhoday says this time. He doesn’t want to be responsible for those tears as they start to spill over and stain Rhodey’s cheeks.

He’s always hated seeing Rhodey cry. It’s not a common occurrence, but each time has lodged itself in Tony’s mind with ironclad resilience, ready to rear up and make him flinch should his thoughts stray too far down dark paths. The first time had been when Tony had woken up in hospital after getting alcohol poisoning during their second year at MIT, blinking open his eyes to find Rhodey tucked up by the side of the bed, shoulders shaking as he wept silently into his hands.

After that, Tony tried harder. He didn’t always succeed, but he always tried, because he never wanted to be responsible for making Rhodey cry.

The need for air is absolutely relentless now, a caustic fire roaring up into his throat and wrapping around his brain and squeezing tight. If he’s not already dead, then this is not how he wants to die.

Not when there’s so much he has to say.

Not when he’s making Rhodey cry.

" _Tony_ ," Rhodey’s voice cracks as he slumps forward, bringing his head down so their foreheads are touching, eyes closing as more tears fall free to land on Tony’s nose.

Tony’s fantasised about this sort of thing too. Moments of tenderness, far beyond the lazy way they lean on one another and sprawl on couches together during their downtime; the kind of gentle touch that always manages to turn his blood live with electricity because it’s _Rhodey_.

_Rhodey._

_Rhodey._

"Rhodey."

Tony’s voice hits the air in a barely there whisper, but Rhodey still hears it. With something like a laughing moan, he rears back to look at Tony’s face, hands coming up to frame his cheeks while more nearby voices sigh and groan loudly in relief.

"Tony? Tony, you’re - you can hear me?"

"You kissed me."

Someone, maybe Thor, chuckles while Rhodey blinks rapidly for a second, more tears falling and a myriad of emotions flickering across his face until a smile finally breaks free.

"Kiss of life, you colossal idiot. The hell were you thinking, huh? I told you to _wait_."

_("Tony, don’t you even think about - "_

_"Got no choice, pal."_

_"Just wait, okay? I’m two minutes out, just - just wait for me, damn it!"_

_"Wish I could, I really do."_

_"Tony - "_

_"Don’t miss me too much, okay?"_

_"Ton - back - don’t do - lose y - please - "_

_"...Bye, honeybear.")_

"Never was one for following orders," Tony wheezes. "Was kinda on a time limit, you know." He lifts a hand to feebly clutch one of Rhodey’s, their armoured fingers wedging together. "Did we win?"

"We won," Steve says, appearing over Rhodey’s shoulder with a dazed grin.

" _You_ won," Rhodey corrects. "Flew the nuke through the wormhole, then fell back through right at the last second. You saved everyone."

Tony hums, letting his eyes drift shut for a brief second. "Huh. Ain’t that something."

"It was the worst moment of my entire life," Rhodey mutters. "You - You can’t do shit like that to me! You were gone, then you were falling through the damn sky and you weren’t slowing down and - "

"And you caught me," Tony finishes, opening his eyes again and smiling even though it somehow makes every bone in his body throb to do so; smiling because he knows that he’s right. "You caught me."

"Hey," Rhodey gives him the gentlest of shakes and brings their faces close once more, "you fall, I catch you. That’s the _deal_."

Then, between Tony lifting his head the barest inch and Rhodey leaning down just a little more, they’re kissing, as easily as if they’ve been doing it forever. It’s somehow soft and fierce all at once, blooming with all the things they haven’t said but somehow know anyway; a kiss that says _I’m so glad you didn’t die_ just as much as it says _I love you_ ; a kiss that makes Tony think of fits of laughter and stolen hoodies and the feeling of Rhodey forever by his side.

"I’ll always catch you," Rhodey whispers against his lips as they pause to catch their breath. "Seeing as you still seem to be so against riding with me."

Tony laughs softly, pressing his nose into the crease between Rhodey’s nose and cheek. "I’ll ride you anytime, anywhere, sourpatch."

"I hate to break this up, boys," Nat says dryly over Rhodey’s exasperated chuckle, "but we’ve still got work to do."

"Of course we do." Tony tenses and groans as Rhodey pulls him to his feet, steadying him by the elbows. "Anyone wanna get food later? There’s a Shawarma place not far from here, I really wanna try it."

There’s murmurings of agreement at this as they start to head out, with Hulk in particular looking hilariously intrigued by the offer, his big green face creased in consideration. Tony nods in satisfaction and accepts the invitation to lean his weight against Rhodey’s side. It’s different than all the other times he’s done it, though the familiarity and comfort is as strong as it’s ever been.

But this time, the spark of something more thrums on both sides, as palpable as growing static in the air just before a storm, and Tony thinks almost nothing of tilting his head and stealing another kiss, sighing softly when Rhodey hums deliciously at the brush of Tony’s tongue against his bottom lip.

"This isn’t over," Tony promises as they pull away, staring at each other with eyes wide and raw, like it’s the first and last time over and over.

Then Rhodey’s grinning again, and the tears now twinkling in his eyes are happy ones, full of promises that Tony can’t wait to live out.

"You bet your dumb, heroic ass it isn’t."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


End file.
